Sweeping mechanism for bowling alleys



Feb. 21, 1950 l. J. sNYDER swEEPING MECHANISM FoR'BowLING ALLEYS 2Sheets-Sheet l Filed DeG. 25, 1946 Feb. 21, 1950 l. J. sNYDr-:R

swEEPING MECHANISM FOR BOWLING ALLEYS 2 sheets-sheet 2 Fled Deo. 23,1946 IN VEN TOR. d .jg/def' v A TOR EY.

Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWEEPING MECHANISMFOR BOWLING ALLEYS Ivol J. Snyder, Omaha, Nebr.

Application December 23, 1946, Serial No. 717,989

1 Claim.

This invention has to do with the field of recreation and refers morespecically to the so called game of bowlingf the object being as is wellknown, to level a number of vutp-standing pins through the medium of arolling ball ina minimum number of tries. i

It is of common knowledge that the usual type of bowling alleynecessitates a pin setter to remove all of the knocked down pins andreplace the same in an upright position where successive bowlers mayagain take their turn in attempts to level the same.

Many attempts in recent years have been made to provide automaticmechanism for removing the pins from the alley and returning the same toan upright position but many difiiculties have arisen particularly withrespect to effective mechanism for removing all the 'pins from the alleyprior to their being elevated or otherwise returned to the alley in theupright spaced-apart position.

It is the primary object of this invention therefore, to provide asweeping mechanism for bowling alleys having unique and automatic meansfor lclearing all the pins still remaining on the alley itself andmoving the same to a position where other mechanism may besatisfactorily used to convey the pins to a resetting position.

The most important object of this invention is to provide a sweepingmechanism for bowling alleys having a reciprocable sweep arm movablealong the longitudinal uppermost surface of the alley for removing allthe pins remaining on the alley whether the same still remain in theupstanding position or have been previously leveled, which mechanism hasmeans for returning the same arm to the original starting position.

Another important object of this invention is to vprovide a sweepingmechanism for bowling a1- leys having a track disposed along a portionof at least one longitudinal edge of the alley wherein is reciprocablymounted a follower having swingably mounted thereto a sweep arm forremoving the pins .from the alley as the said follower reciprocates andadditionally to provide means cooperable with vthe said track andmounted on the swingable arm for causing the latter to swing to and froma position in overlying transverse relation to the alley as the sameleaves and approaches 'respectively one end of its path oi travel.

A .still further object of this invention is to provide a reciprocableand swingable sweep arm of the aforesaid `character having actuatingmeans therefoncapable of Amoving the arm .from

one end of the alley to the end thereof having the pins adjacent thretoand to return the said arm to the starting position.

Another object of this invention includes the unique manner in which theswingable paddle or arm is attached to the reciprocating mechanismvtherefor to the end that the same is caused to swing rby said mechanismwhen the arm is at one end of its path of travel.

Additional objects of this invention will be made clear or becomeapparent during the course of the following specification, referring tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. I1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a bowling alley having thesweeping mechanism forming a vpart of my present invention associatedtherewith.

Fig. v2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on line II--II ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed cross-sectional View taken on lineIII--III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line lV-IV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detailed fragmentary cross-sectional view taken online V-Vof Fig. 2 looking in the direction of lthe arrows.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line Vl-VI of Fig.2; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detailed cross-sectional view taken on lineVII--VII of Fig. 2.

Reference `to Fig. 1 of the drawings clearly shows a conventionalbowling alley broadly designated by the numeral I0 which comprises theregulation platform or floor-like surface having a pair of gutters I2along the marginal edges thereof and a number of pins I4 arranged in theconventional manner Aat one end of alley I0. It is contemplated that themechanism about to be described be used in conjunction with a pluralityof alleys I0 and therefore, the uppermost portion of` Fig. 1 of thedrawings indicates an adjoining alley having a side gutter I5.

As is well known, it is the object of the player to level the alley I0of all the pins I4 in the first bowl for scoring a so-called strike, orif this is not accomplished in one attempt, the second bowl may beattempted and if the pins I4 are all knocked over, the player has whatvis called a spare Obviously in these two attempts, all of the pins 'i4may well be knocked from the alley I0 into a pit I6 at one end thereofwhereupon these pins may be elevated to a position for resetting by anyof lvarious types of mechanism l(not shown in the drawings) It is morecommon.

however, that one or more ot ,therpins ltwillnot fall into the pit I6but will fall and remain on alley III or in one of the gutters I2 and itis to the removal of such pins into pit I6 that this invention isdirected.

A medium through which this object is attained is through use of a pairof swingable paddles or arms I8 disposed along the longitudinal edges ofthe alley I for movement to and from an overlying position with respectto the uppermost face of alley IIJ and thence for reciprocation towardand from the pit I6. Obviously, the same purpose may well beaccomplished through the use of only one arm I8, which arm, when inoperative position, extends virtually the entire width of alley ID butit has been found to be more practical to form such mechanism in themanner disclosed to the end that a more positive and quick acting,sweeping operation is attained.

In forming the mechanism for use with a number of side-by-side alleysI0, tracks 26 and 22 extend along a portion of the longitudinal lengthof alley I 0 and at each side thereof and these tracks each comprise aUeshaped member disposed in the manner clearly ,illustrated in Fig. 6.In other words, the uppermost track 20 is mounted in opposed spacedrelation to the lower track 22 and held in such spaced relation by anumber of spacers 24 mounted on the innermost face of the bottom wall ofeach of the tracks 26 and 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings. Such construction presents two pairs of opposed edges at thefree ends of the legs of the tracks 2D and 22 within which is mounted apair of guide blocks 26, each of which is provided with a pair of slots28 formed in the opposite edges thereof for riding in embracing relationand sliding movement along the tracks 25 and 22. Each of these guideblocks 26 has an extension 36 on one end thereof for receiving abifurcated end 32 of the paddle I 8 through which bifurcated end, a pin34 passes for pivotally mounting the arm I8 to the guide block 26. Thesearms I8 are each substantially L-shaped as illustrated in Fig.l and oneleg thereof having pin 34 therein is provided with a pair of stub pins36 disposed on each side of one leg of either track 26 or 2 2. Thesestub pins 36 extend upwardly on one of the arms I8 and downwardly on theother arm I8 operable with the adjoining alley II) and as the guideblocks 26 move in a direction toward the pit I6 pulling the arms I8therewith, the stub pins 36 riding along an arcuate portion 38 of thetrack 20 or 22 as the case may be, will cause arm I8 to swing laterallyto a position in transverse overlying relation with the upper surface ofalley IU. Conversely, as block 26 returns to the end of track 26opposite to pit I6, these pins 36 will guide and hold arms I8 in suchtransverse relation relative to alley I6 until the pins 36 approach thearcuate portion 38 whereupon arms I8 will swing to a position where itslongitudinal axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis ofalley I0, all by reason of the pivotal movement of arms I 8 on block 26at pin 34.

The operating mechanism for causing the blocks 26 and the arms I8carried thereby to reciprocate along the longitudinal axis of tracks 26and 22 includes endless chains 46 which pass over pairs of spaced-apartsprockets 42 and 44 which sprockets are mounted within the tracks 26 and22 in the manner detailed in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

A bearing support 45 mounted in the track 22 and fixed to the lowermostwall thereof through the'mediumof a pair of bolts or the like 46, ex

tends upwardly therefrom and has a bearing 48 within which is rotatablymounted a collar 50. This collar 5D has a flange at each en d thereof,one of which flanges is secured to the innermost face of either thesprocket wheel 42 or 44 forming a part of the sweeping mechanism for oneof alleys I0, by welding or the like 52.

The sprocket wheel 42 or 44 for use with the adjoining alley I0 is alsomounted upon this bearing support 45 through the medium of a shaft 54fixed thereto and passing through collar 56 and through the oppositesprocket 42 or 44. The end of the shaft 54 opposite to the sprocket 42or 44 to which it is afxed, is provided with a screw and washer assembly56 for holding the entire assembly together. In other words, it is clearin Fig. 6 that one of the sprockets 42 and one sprocket 44 has itscollar 5D rotatable in the bearing 48 and that the opposite sprocket 42and opposite sprocket 44 has its shaft 54 rotatable within the collar50. The endless chain 40 thus supported by the sprockets 42 and 44anddisposed in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 has a number of laterallyprojecting pins 58 thereon. These pins are engaged by the sprockets ofsprocket wheels 66 and 62 respectively disposed at one end of the tracks26 and 22 and mounted upon a pair of drive shafts 64 and 66respectively. n In other words, as illustrated in Fig. 1, each of theshafts 64 and 66 has a sprocket 62 on one end thereof and a sprocket 6Uon the opposite end thereof and these shafts 64 and 66 are each drivenby a suitable prime mover (not shown) connected by a belt or the like toa sheave wheel 68.

Each of the guide blocks 26 is connected to its respective chain 46through the medium of a link I0 pivotally mounted at one end thereof tochain 40 as at 'I2 and pivotally secured to the block 26 as at 14. v

Assuming the component parts of the sweeping mechanism just described tobe formed and assembled in the manner set forth, the operation thereofis as follows:

The prime mover for rotating shafts 64 and 66 may have meansconveniently located for rendering the same operable and as these shafts64 or 66 rotate to rotate their respective sprockets 60 and 62, thechains 40 at each side of the alley I0 will be driven to pull the links'I6 in a direction toward the pit I6 whereupon the blocks 26 will slidealong the tracks 26 and 22. ASuch action causes the arms I 8 to swinglaterally from the position shown in Fig. l to a position where the sameare in transverse relation to alley III. As the blocks 26 continue tomove toward the pit I6, the arms I6 will be pulled-therewith until thesame come into contact with any pins I4 remaining on alley I6 or in thegutters I2 and these pins will be pushed into the pit I6 for subsequentremoval and resetting.

As the link 16 approaches the sprocket wheel 44, the connection 12thereof to chain 46 will pass around sprocket wheel 44 and return towardthe point of beginning, thus moving guide block 26 and the arm I8carried thereby in a reverse movement toward the starting position.

As the stub pins 36 come into contact with th arcuate portion 36 of thetrack 26 or 22, as the case may be, the arm I8 will again swing to thenormal position shown in Fig. 1. AAt this end of the cycle of operation,the connection 'I2 of the link 'I0 will pass around the sprocket wheel42 preparatory to the next operation of the device. For bestoperation,it is advisable ,tol dispose the tracks 20 and 22 in a position farenough above the upper surface of alley I0 to maintain the arms I8 in anelevated position above alley l0 as the same reciprocate thereabove asis clear in Fig. 2. Such spacing of arms I8 from alley I0 must be smallenough to assure removal of all the pins i4 both from alley I0 and thegutters I2.

While only one modification of the sweeping mechanism for bowling alleyshas been shown and described, it is understood that many changes andmodications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

Sweeping mechanism for a bowling alley comprising at least one elongatedtrack parallel with 1 and adjacent to one longitudinal edge of saidalley; a follower carried by the track for reciprocation longitudinallytherealong; means operably connected with the follower for reciprocatingthe same; an elongated arm on the follower, normally extending outwardlyfrom the track in perpendicular relationship thereto and overlying atleast a portion of said alley; and guides REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the le oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,994,411 Thomas Mar. 12, 19352,250,503 Rundell July 29, 1941 2,310,218 Davis l Feb. 9, 1943 FOREIGNPATENTS` Y Number Country Date 501,166 Germany June 30, 1930

